22. July

It is what it is...

Work has been busy and the fish are still coming in. We are approaching 100,000 pounds of fish but now have been put to a limit due to the cannery and the lack of workers. Wednesday we were called out to go fishing and fish we did. What started out to be a great day with an average of about a tote and a half for each net, then all of a sudden we were told to pull our nets out the water because the cannery wasn't buying anymore fish.

So what was going to be great fishing with plans to fish through the night and all day Thursday came to a halt when those words were spoken. The crew was somewhat upset because this meant that fishing was stopping and we would rather keep fishing. The end of the day came to a screeching halt at around 11pm with our crew feeling discouraged. We were in a groove and pumped to go all night, picking and picking and picking fish. But it is what it is!

Earlier that morning we were out by 3am getting gear ready and set so when the opener came at 5am we'd be ready to go. In those early hours we got the nets set and had a little time to relax as the nets soaked so I decided to go into the open air and just spend time with God because in my crazy life as of now, those times get shorter and do not happen as much as I would like it to just because I am on the go all the time.

During that quiet, cool time before the day began I was reminded that when things come our way that we may not like - yes, we must conquer them but there are times when you can't do anything in your power to stop things when they aren't going the way you want. And rather than just throwing a fit or turning away from God, you can just say 'God, you did this for a reason and I will find out what the reason is.' At the times I sense this, it's just like, 'man, thanks God'- when this circumstance comes up I will remember what You told me. Funny thing yesterday was that I was able to go back to what He told me that morning and I just smiled and said...You knew this was going to happen!

So I have today off, which is nice, but it looks like we will fish through the weekend and part of the week. I am loving this job and learning so much each day from Mr. Terry and his son Teagun. I have never worked a job where by the end of the day my finger nails are sore and are now the bruises are showing. But, I just think I would have it no other way.

17. July

Man oh man yesterday was such a great day! I can't even describe the feeling we experienced yesterday by catching so many fish. On Friday there was an announced Emergency order for the Cook Inlet that there was an escapement of red salmon coming through the Inlet and set net fishing was opened for commercial fishermen to fish and DID WE EVER FISH! We were down on the beach by 6 am and ready for 7 am when the time came to put the nets out. Right when the nets landed the fish started hitting them and hitting them hard.


After the swing nets were set we looked over and the outers were getting bombarded with fish. We boated out and started picking through the nets. As we started picking the nets the weather and water got choppy. As the tide was going out we were picking fish and getting hit by waves. We would pick fish quickly and then when big waves would come we had to hold on to the line and try not to lose our spot in the line plus we had to be sure the line kept away from the prop.

There was so much fish coming in that when you would finish picking the net and would put it back down, the fish would start hitting it again. We were catching so many fish that we did not know what to do except to just keep picking fish. We picked fish constantly for 8 hours straight and still they were coming in faster than we could pick. Here's the boat as we are taking out the fish to put in the totes.
Once the tide turned, our entire fish effort changed too. We could not fish our outer nets and swing sets due to the rough waters which could swamp our boat's motor or even campsize it. A fishing site right next to us decided to fish during the rough weather and it did not turn out so good for them. Their boat flipped while they were trying to come in and the crew had to jump out their boat so the boat would not get on top of them.

We decided to pick a couple of more nets and there were so many fish on the line that it was tipping our boat in the water because of the weight. We fished until 10 o'clock in the evening and each net yielded about 2 totes of fish. Altogether we caught 30,000 pounds of fish. (22 totes full to the brim with red salmon). That is what I call a great fishing day.

I have to say this was the first big run of the season and there are still many more to come. It is definitely hard work and you feel all the effects of the work you put in the day before when you wake up the next morning. It was such a great day and I was happy to experience something like this and hope that many more fish find our nets for the rest of the month. As I get busier and busier it is easy to forget what day of the week it is and things like that. But I am still having a blast up here and trying my hand at being a commercial fisherman in Alaska. I finally discovered why I take pleasure in doing things that some people would consider crazy or say, "Why do you want to do that?". I have come to this conclusion: I love anything that gets my adrenaline pumping but also I want to say I have lived a fulfilled life and I do not regret one thing I have done because it is what I wanted out of life. That is why I am up here; well, heck the money is nice but to say I did something that very few people I know have never done sounds like something fun to hang your hat on. I believe this is not just the beginning or the end of my commercial fishing. I have been thinking maybe in a couple of years of trying my hand at king crab fishing. When the water was hitting me in my face and I was pulling so many fish in still, that was the moment I knew I loved this job. It is the thrill of danger that excites me to do these kind of things: jumping out a plane, bungee jumping, or even jumping off of campus property. Why live life if you will not live to your fullest?

I have one life and I want to not just do crazy things but also I want to be influential in my generation. I also want to let God's love show to the people around me on campus. I do not want to sit back and just say, 'Hey God, I'm going to just stay here and not be used by You.' Instead, 'Hey God, I am going to play the background and you take the main role and I will become an instrument for You.' I want Him to use me to make a difference to the people around me. I was meditating on this and I have this fascination of seeing things going from being really dirty to clean and I understand why: it's because I like seeing things go from bad to good. That is what I want to see; I want to experince people's lives from being without Christ to a life filled with Christ. I have seen that in my good friend, James Pickle. I have seen his life go from feeling 'Why should I follow Christ?' to a life where James' has realized that he cannot live without Him. That experience will always be the best adrenaline rush that can happen and I want to live my life to so that I am influential in others as they seek peace and watch God's will overtake their lives.

THE END OF A GREAT DAY OF FISHING



I have the day off today but we go back out at 6 am to fish a full day tomorrow. FISH ON!!

Until next time,
Edward

13. July

So the first day of fishing season went very good. I learned a lot while working out there. I now understand the process of how things roll and when Thursday comes around I will be able to help a lot more at my site. The first morning began with flaking the nets out and loading them into the boat to go out and then the lines were set. We setted (yea, that's the way you say it) three lines in a mid way section that are called swing sets. Then we came back to shore and left the nets soaking so the fish could run into the nets.

How the whole thing works is as you set your nets the fish are swimming around in the current and the current changes when the tide changes. So when the tide is going out we set the nets and when the tide and current change we go out and pick those nets and get the fish! There are three guys to a boat: one guy works the bow and he pulls up the nets at the beginning of the set line over the bow and onto the middle of the boat. He keeps the lead end (which is the bottom end) and my side takes the corks and we quickly start pulling through the the net until we get to the end of the line. As we are doing that we pick the fish out of the lines and toss them into the boat. Then they go into the totes, then the truck, then down the beach.

We are fishing eight lines that are about 75 yards long or maybe a little bit bigger. 3 are close to the beach, then there are 3 swing nets and 2 outer nets. This set up is giving us the greatest chances of catching as many fish as we can - it's all about numbers!

It has been a great two days off after that first day but I am constantly on call because you never know if Wildlife and Fisheries will all of a sudden let you commercial fish on the days you have off. This can happen if there is a high concentration of fish coming through Cook Inlet. Then I would have to be ready to go out and fish at a minute's notice.


During the last two days I've been reading the book, "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day". Even though I still haven't finished it, I can tell it's gonna be a good one. The first chapter introduces you to Benaiah who was a courageous man - this guy even chased down a lion and killed it. The author comments that most human beings would never chase a lion down but instead run away from it. Benaiah eventually becomes the head of King David's bodyguards. The writer then talks about opportunities - how you never know when an opportunity presented could end up leading to something bigger. We have opportunities that present themselves to us and it is up to us to take the moment - seize it and embrace it - or walk away. I feel like when it comes to things that are not of this earth, we need to definitely seize those opportunities - become like Benaiah and be a lion chaser and go after what God has laid before us because you never know where that opportunity will lead, maybe a new job or even a person coming to know Christ. I want to look at my opportunities and say, "Be a lion chaser" and take advantage of everything God has in store for my life. Ask yourself, do you want to be a lion chaser or just run away from the lions? I go back out tomorrow to fish and will look at this opportunity to grow, chase lions, and chase fish too!

Until next time,

Edward

10. July

I can not wait for tomorrow, it is like D-Day: the real beginning of the fishing season. The season opens up Monday at 6 am and we can fish every moment of the day until they say fishing is done for the day. Commercial fishermen are always guaranteed Mondays and Thursdays to fish and Wildlife and Fisheries will sometimes let us fish in between those days if the fish count is in our favor. I am really excited that it is almost here. All the nets are mended and the gear is down at the beach - the last thing we need is just some fish to come into our nets. Who knows what tomorrow will bring but the word is that the fish are coming and they will be coming in big numbers.

I am excited to work a job that I have never done before. It is something I will look back on and say "I commercial-fished in Alaska" and smile about it... but first I have to make it through this season.

Another great thing that happened today - besides the women soccer team beating Brazil, was my father's birthday. I am where I am today because of him: he is my best friend and I am happy to have him as my dad. I do not know of anyone who is cooler and I am growing to be a man because of the great example he has been in my life . He is always willing to teach and and to counsel me in everything I do. I love you Dad!

Well guys, wish me luck and I hope the fish find our nets and I will surely have stories to tell on the other side of this adventure!

Until next time,
Edward

7. July

Man it doesn't feel like it has been a week. I have been really busy just settling into my life up here in Alaska. I pretty much have been working every day preparing to get things ready for the official opening of commercial fishing season. So here are some things I have found out so far... We will be fishing for red salmon, which is really popular and they are going for $1.75 a pound, which is very good...but we still hope it goes up. I've also learned the back end of this industry: going out to set lines when it is a low tide since it is better to set your nets at that time...because you are able to get out and walk where there would normally be 20 or so feet of water. I am taking in so much information about commercial fishing and it is becoming something in which I am really interested.

Since being up here I have also had the chance to meet the people I will be working with. In the crew I am third to youngest and it is only 6 of us working for my employer. I have become very impressed with the crew's work ethics and how they are just willing to work and to do hard labor. One of the crew members I am working with is Teagan; he is a year older than me and has been commercial fishing for 11 years - that just shocked me at his willingness to labor this hard for so long. Alaskan people have a drive like not too many people I have met besides some people in the south who really want to work and are willing to work hard till the job is done.

So the season officially starts on July 11 but now it is non-stop - we are constantly going and working until they tell us to quit. The days are so long here that you really don't get a feeling for the real time of the day. One thing I have been learning how to do and have become fairly decent at is mending (yes, pretty much sewing). We are mending nets to put out next week when the season opens. What we do is find where there is a piece of string missing or the net pattern is messed up and just tie a knot and connect back into place so it all looks a flowing pattern. Not repairing a spot means fish can escape. If a fish escapes that means MONEY goes with it. Imagine losing a 1.75 a pound of that fish that got through. My pay will depend on how much we catch so I don't want ANY to get away.

Alaska has definitely been an adventure so far. I am pulling away a few things from this experience. I am living somewhat a life of a fisherman just like the disciples did. While they fished to eat, I am fishing for the adventure it will bring and the money. It is not all about the money but about the life lessons I am gleaning, including that I must rely on God everyday for daily bread. Each time I go out I need to read His word or else I will be dry and thirsty that entire day and how I present myself will reflect that. His word brings life to my spirit man which in turn brings His glory in my work ... and the guys I work with hopefully see a difference in me. God calls us to be a light in the darkness and that is what the disciples did - they brought the light to the darkness. We as belivers are a new set of disciples and should be evaluating our lives to see how we can bring our God in to light up the dark places, whether is it where we work, school, as well as our everyday ordinary lives. In the magnificent and quiet beauty of this place God has been speaking to me and moving in my life since there are so few distractions; it is like He awoke my soul like never before and is filling me up to pour out into the hopeless and help set those in bondage free. I am so thankful at where I am at and I miss all you guys back home.

Until next time,
Edward